Sound Diplomacy to host U.S. Music Tourism Convention in Franklin, Tennessee

Inaugural convention will focus on the value music has on heritage tourism, destination marketing, and audience development

June 15, 2017 – Sound Diplomacy, the leading global advisor in increasing the value of music and night culture, will host its inaugural U.S. Music Tourism Convention, September 21-22, in Franklin, Tennessee. In partnership with Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, Visit Franklin, and Americana Music Triangle the convention will explore the value of music to heritage tourism, destination marketing, and audience development.

The Music Tourism Convention is targeted to destination marketing organizations of all sizes and music destinations from across the globe will feature TEDx-style talks and panel discussions from industry leaders. Participants will also share ideas through roundtable discussions focused on best practices for telling each destination’s story and how to best market the story to travelers, in addition to experiencing first-hand the live music scene of Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival and Franklin, Tennessee.

“Music is a universal language that speaks to the world and is a key component in the decision-making process of where many travelers decide to spend their vacations,” said Ellie Westman Chin, President & CEO of Visit Franklin. “Our mission at Visit Franklin is to share Franklin, Tennessee with the world, and we are excited to be partnering with an international leader like Sound Diplomacy to not only do that but also bring together so many other destinations to share ideas and learn from one another.”

Over the two-day convention, taking place at The Factory at Franklin, participants will hear from industry experts on an array of topics including: “How Music Can Make Your Destination Rock,” “Music Tourism: When You ‘Think’ You Have No Music,” and “Making the Most of Your Music Attractions” among others.

Participants will also go “Inside The World’s Top Festivals,” with representatives from Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, Celtic Colours International Festival, and more discussing how these iconic festivals came to be, and their positive impact on the communities around them.

Music tourism is booming globally, and the U.S. Music Tourism Convention will continue the global conversations that began this past February at the Liverpool, England Music Tourism Convention where 200 delegates from 59 cities and six continents gathered to discuss music’s impact on the industry. Registration for the two-day event is $150, and a discounted student rate of $100 is available to any participant currently enrolled in college coursework. All conference attendees will also be able to purchase discounted two-day tickets to the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, which is held September 23-24, following the convention.